Mary M. Barksdale Library

Library & Information Skills
Instruction

Need help using the Library? Library and information
skills instruction on how to locate, evaluate, and use printed and
electronic information resources is provided by the librarians. Topics may
include the research process, using the online book catalog, using full-text
electronic databases, and the differences between web searching and
searching electronic journal databases. The faculty may request instruction
for entire classes or individual students may come to library for instruction on
an as needed basis.

Are you off-campus?
You can learn how to use your library online by using
Connect For Success.
Connect For Successis a set of seven web-based library
and information skills instructional modules designed to introduce students
to the services and collections provided by the Mary M. Barksdale Library
and to teach students basic information-seeking skills.
Connect For Success
is available to all DCC students on and off campus.

A person who
is competent in information literacy recognizes when information is needed
and has the ability to locate, evaluate, and use it effectively. Library and
Information Skills Instruction (LISI) is an essential component of
information literacy. The Mary M. Barksdale Library’s LISI program is a
combination of librarian/faculty led instruction, online tutorials, and
supplemental resources. The following learning outcomes serve

as guidelines for
faculty, librarians, and others to develop methods for measuring student
progress toward information literacy. The learning outcomes are information
literacy skills that students will acquire after successfully completing all
library and information skills instruction, tutorials, and resources. The creation of
these learning outcomes was based on the DCC Mission and Goals, the DCC
General Education Goals and Student Learning Outcomes (Information
Literacy), the ACRL Information
Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education,
and DCC faculty librarian input.

Learning Resources and Distance
Learning Program Outcome

Promote the
knowledge of and use of information and instructional resources by students,
faculty and the College community

.

Learning Outcome One

Upon completion of library and
information skills instruction, students will be able to

determine the nature and extent of the information needed.

Learning Skills and Strategies
Include:

Identify services and resources available through the DCC library

.

Identify the different types of materials available through the
library

.

Determine the availability of needed information and use available
services from beyond local resources (e.g., interlibrary loan)

.

Learning Outcome Two

Upon completion of library and
information skills instruction, students will be able to

access needed information effectively and efficiently.

Learning Skills and Strategies
Include:

Navigate the library website from both
on-campus and off-campus.

Search the library catalog by author, title, subject, and keyword;
identify a call number; and find an item in the library.

Use the Library of Congress classification system to locate specific
items.

Construct a search strategy using appropriate commands for the
information retrieval system selected (e.g., Boolean logic and operators
for search engines; internal organizers such as indexes for books

.

Locate an electronic book, retrieve it, and cite it

.

Perform basic searches using key words or subjects to locate
information on a topic.

Perform advanced searching techniques including searching in
different or multiple fields (e.g., all text, author, title, abstract,
journal name) to locate information on a topic.